Hand stamp



Jan. 5, 1932. E. P.- SMITH A A HAND STAMP y Filed oct. s, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 1 w B) wmv@ V xq i I :EN @i I 1x34 x5 i" Jan. 5, 19,32. E. P. sMlTH 1,839,352

HAND STAMP Filed Oct.4 8. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 5, 1.932

n nf rre EARL l. SMITH, OF BRIGHTON, BOSTDN, MASSACHUSETTS HAND sTAMr Application filed October 8, 1927. Serial No. 224,574.

This invention relates to printing devices and particularly to mechanismsk of this character Which are known as hand stamps. These stamps are provided with movable i. heads carrying certain printing or symbol impressing elements Which may be controlled manually and or automatically to change the .arrangement of symbols impressed by the stamp. Devices of this character are commonly used in numbering and dating receipts, stock certificates, tickets, ments, baggage checks, Work slips in factories and for numerous other purposes.

The present invention is designed to provide various structural improvements in stamps of this character and is particularly intended to prevent dishonest or fraudulent use of the stamping device. Thus suitable locking or sealing means are provided to pre- JO vent unauthorized setting or resetting of the symbol-impressing elements or unauthorized tampering with the register Which may indicate the numbers printed by the stamp. For

example, locking means of this character may if prevent the duplicate numbering or incorrect dating oi' stock certificates, receipts, or checks of various sorts.

Many stamps of this character are prow vided with Vmechanism for automatically 'Vl changing the arrangement of the printing elements'so that the symbols impressed by the stamp may be changed in succession. For example, machines of this character may be arranged to print successive numbers in duh", plicate or to imprint any series of symbols in a predetermined order. Oiittimes in conjunction with such a numbering mechanism a counter or register is providedk which indi Cates exteriorly of the device the particular E arrangement of printing elements Within the head so that the user of the device Will know exactly what will be printed the head when it isbroughtdown into juxtapositionto the platen. In conjunction with such automatic numbering or printing mechanism,

stamps of this character are With manually controllable stamping mechanism which may be adjusted from time to time `to indicate the date, etc. The present invention is designed to eiiect thelockingor bank docu-l vthereof While the stamping also provided sealing of the automatic mechani sm for ccntrolling the numbering means or the like so that this mechanism can not be disturbed Without knowledgefupon the 1part of the head of the establishment. The invention furthermore provides locking means so that unauthorized tampering with the-manual cn-V trolfor the date stamp or theilike may be prevented. Thus the key for t his locking means may be keptby the head of the estab lishment and the dating stamp him each day and locked in its ad changed by justed position so that unauthorized dating back or datinT ahead can not be effected by the stamp.

Theabove and further objects tageous features ont the invention parent to and advan- Will be apthose skilled in the art upon a reading'of the subjoined description and claims in conjunction With the accompanying drawings, in :which:

Fig. l is a side elevational vieWrof the improved stamping device; y

Fig. 2 is an elevational detail posite side of the device;

Fig. is an elevational detail 0 guard upon the interior of th head;

head;

of the opof the slot e stamping Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the stamping Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-,5 of Fig. 4:; Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of'a portion of the stamping headtaken on li Fig. l;

Fig. 7 is the head particularly illustrating ne @-6 of a sectional vievv oaportion of the mechanism for automatically controlling thenumbering means ;and

Fig. 8 is a perspective same. n

rlhe type offstamp'ing device by the accompanying base portion l designed to desk, counter or the like.

ries the Varm 2 pivotally This s ysecured upon the outer end of arm detail of part of the exempliiied drawings comprises `a rest upon a table,

upport carto one end head 3 is mounted 2, ahandle 4 being provided for the convenient ymanipulation o i the arm.

A suitable spring 6 Vis arranged under compression normally tol force the head 3 upwardly outy of engagemen t With j the f loo platen 54 which is located upon base member 1. The head preferably contains suitable numbering mechanism which may be arranged to print successive numbers Iin duplicate or in any other desired manner..

Tn order to control Jrhe numbering` mechanism, I provide a lever 66 pivotally connected to a lived part of the machine such as the base 1 by a pivot element 8 and a bracket 9, the latter preferably being secured to the base by non-detachable fastenin'gs, such as rivets 70. Relative movement between the lever 66 and the head serves automatically to adjust the numbering means. Mechanism for this purpose is more particularly illustrated in Figs. 7 and S, which show the end of lever 66 provided with a depending lug 7 adapted to engage-notches on the control wheel 10 that is coimected to the rolls 71 carrying the number impressing elements; for example, the whe-e 10 may be secured to the adjoining roll 72 to rotate therewith. Each of the adjoining numbering rolls 71 may be connected to the iirstroll by any suitable mechanism or" the type conventionally employed in odometers,

numbering machines, or the like, which is eliective in causing the movement of each roll for one-tenth of its peripheral extent Jfor every ten similar movements 01": the adjoining roll. Since the details of mechanism of this character form no part of the present invention and since the same is conventional in all numbering machines, I have not shown the same in detail lin the accompanying drawings. An arm upon lever 66 carries a roller 11 which engages the inger 12 upon an oscillating` locking member 1.3 that is pivotally mounted on the interior of the head, as designated by numeral 14. Locking member 13 is also provided with downwardly proj eoting extensions 16,-each of which normally engages one or" the depressions upon the periphery oi" digit wheels 72, each of which are secured to a corresponding` roll 71. Springs 17 and 18 tend to urge the fingers 7 and 16 into engagement with the depressions upon the peripheries of the wheels 10 `and 72. The downward movement of the head causes the lever 66 to move upward lin slot 19 in the 'rear wall of the head. This relative movement of lever 66 Vand head 3 causes the roller 1l to move member 13 and projections 16 upwardly away from wheels 72, and 'at the same time causes M "the wheel l()v to be turned when the head l moves back toward its normal upper position.

f' The intermediate portion ofthe lever 66 preferably is articulated to the downwardly extending link 2O which extends into a hollow portion of base 1 to operate the registering or counting mechanism 69 that indicates the relative position of the number-impressing elements in stamping vhead 3. This mechanism may be visible through a window arranged in the top of the support 1.

It is to be understood that lthe link 2O Ihas a very restricted movement and accordingly that the lever 66 remains substantially stationary, the movement of the head during each stamping action causing relative movement between the lug 7 and the control wheel 10. Thus due to the tapered shape of lug 7 during downward movement of the head the lug will move upwardly away from the notch with which Iit has been engaged and the end of the downward stroke oi' the head will litt the locking member 13 away from the wheels 72. At the beginning of the vupward movement oi" the head the lug 7 will be positioned to engage an adjoining notch in the wheel l0 and to turn the same to bring another digit into symbol impressing position, the lock-ing member 13 again dropping into place to vhold the walls 72 in j. ition to prevent movement of the same unt-il the next stamping stroke is substantially completed.

A phirality of manually controllable, symbol-impressing elements are also arranged upon a series oi wheels within the head 3. These wheels are controllable by a plurality wheels located upon the exterior of the ead, and designated in general by numeral Thus, for example, the outer control wheel 26 maybe movable to indicate the year, the intermedi-ate wheel 27 may be 'movable to indicate the day of the month, and the inner `Vrheel 23 may be movable to indicate the month. Suitable concentric spindles connect control wheels 26, 27 and 28 with the conventional symbol-impressing elements.

Tn order to avoid unauthorized tampering with the manual control wheels, T provide locking means designated in general by numeral 30, and comprising a conventional lock 31 which may be controlled by a key oi' the usual type. The slide bolt of the lock, however, is of special form, being provided with a transverse extension having three arms projecting outwardly therefrom in the planes of wheels 26, 27 and 28 respectively. Suitabie openings 35 to be engaged by bolt extensions 34C are provided in the peripheries of the wheels to correspond to the adjusted positions of the same. Thus, when the mechanism 31 is in its locked condition pins '3ft engage openings 35 in each or' the manual control wheels, while, when the mechanism is in its unlocked condition, the bolt is retracted and the wheels are released to permit their ready adjustment.

in order to prevent unauthorized tampering with the mechanism within the stamping head 3 and particularly the number-control mechanism, i provide a ,guard /lG Jier the slot 19 which a commodates the lever 66. This guard preferably is in the forni of a box-like sheet metal member iiaving an opening all large enough to permit the lever 66 to extend therethrough. The 'guard is slidably mounted in U-shaped-brackets 43 which are secured to the interior of the head by fastening means 44. In this connection it is to be noted that the various portions of the head are held in place by fastening means 67 upon the inside thereof so that it is impossible tor an unauthorized person to disassemble the head. y p n In order to ai'lord access to the interior of the head, I provide a closure member which may comprise one side of the head and has inwardly projecting ears 46 to engage a pintle member 47, whereby the downward swinging of the closure member may be permitted.

I I provide the lock 50 which may be of any convenient form but preferably is of the conventional lead seal type with distinctive markings,.having a short wire 5l passing through aligned ears 52 and 53 upon the head and the closure member respectively, in order to hold the closure member firmly in engagement with the head. Thus it would be necessary to break the seal in order to obtain access to the interior of the head, so that it would at once be noticed it there was unauthorized tampering with the mechanism within the head.

Preferably the ribbon rolls are located exteriorly of the body portionV of the head and access thereto is ati'orded by the swinging closure elements or tape containers 49 which may be manipulated to permit movement ot the ribbon or replacement of the same without necessitating access to the interior'of the head.

I provide a suitable closure member or door for the counter mechanism 69 in the base l. This door is provided with a locking or sealing element 62 (Fig. 2) similar to member 50.

It is evident that provision of the various locking means described above prevents unauthorized adjustment olI either the numbering or the dating mechanism, the locking means for the manual control mechanism being however designed to permit adjustment of such mechanism by vauthorized persons while the locking means for the numbering and registering` mechanism would immediately indicate tampering, so that it will at once be obvious it anybody has had access to the same. While I have shown metal seals for the closure members in the ,head and base of the machine, it is obvious that any suitable means controllable by a key or dial lock or the like might be substituted for the sealingelements if desired, and I intend the term locking means as us'edin the Jfore-` which comprises a movable head carryingV symbol-impressing elements, means within Ythe head, for varying the arrangement of the impressing elements, means for locking the head/to prevent access to the interior thereof, a part extending into the head from a fixed part oit the machine automatically to change the arrangement of the impressing elements in response to `movements of the head, 'said head havingan opening to permit the movement saidA member relative tothe head, and a guard over the openinfr. Y Y

In a machineffor successively stamping a series of symbols in a predetermined or-` der which comprises a movable head carrying symbol-impressing elements, means within'the head for varying kthe arrangement of the impressing elements, a part extending into the head Yfrom a xed part of the machine automatically to change the arrangement ot the impressing elements in response to -movements of `the head, said head having an opening kto permit the movement of said member lrelative to the head, and a movable Iguard over the opening,'said guard ably mounted upon the inside of said head.

, In a machine of the class described, which vcomprises a stamping head carrying a series ,of symbol-iimiressing elements, certain of said elements being movable to impressing position, -means for changing the position ot the impressing elements, means :tor locking this means against movement to prevent unauthorized change in the position of the symbols, said locking means comprisingy a bolt slidably mounted to engage the means in a plurality of positions which correspond to its positions for printing symbols in different combinations.

4. A machine for successively stamping a series of symbols in a predetermined order comprising a .movable head, symbol-impressing elements carried by said head, mechanism responsive to successive movements of said headA for automatically changing the relation` of the symbol-impressing elements, a portion of said mechanism within the head being adjustable to vary'the arrangement of the impressing elements, a closure upon the head locking saidportion against unauthorized tampering, tape containers upon the outside ot the head, closures for said containers movable independently of said closure upon the head, whereby the tape may be reached without necessitating access to the interior of the head.

5. In a machine for stamping a series of comprising a. shcetmetal housing slidv symbols in a predetermined.order, ra fixed supl port, amovablc head carried bythe support, symbol-impressing elements carried by the head, mechanism responsive to successive movements or tnehead in relation to the fixedV support for automatically changing the relation of the symbol-impressing elements,r a portion oit said mechanism comprising a memberV extending into the head and co-nla.; c

nected to the fixed support, and means for locking said head to prevent unauthorized tampering With the mechanism therein, said member vwhich extends through an vopening in the head vbeing movable in relation thereto as the heard is moved, anda guard associated with sai-d opening to preventl unauthorized accessito the interior Lof-'thehead through said opening; Y

6. In a machine for stamping a series of symbols in -a predetermined.forder, a fixed support, `aino'v-afble head lcarried bythe support, symbol-impressing Aelements ca-rried by the head, mechanism responsive vto successive movements ot the head in relation to the fixed support for automatically changing the rclation of the symbol-impressing elements, a `portion of said mechanism comp-rising a member extend-ing into the head and connected to the fixed support, and means for locking said head to prevent Vunauthorized tampering vwith the mechanism therein, said member 'which `extends through an opening in the head being movable in relation thereto as the head is moved, .and a guard associated with said opening to prevent unauthorized' access to the vinterior fof .the head ythrough said opening, said member extending :through the guard, and guide means holding the latter in juxtaposition to the opening and permitting its movement With the link.

7. A vmachine for 'stamping symbols comprising' a xedsu'pport, a movable head, linkage connecting the head to apart ofthe ixed support whereby movement of the 'head in relation to the latter is effect-ive in causing movement of certain symbol-'impressing elements Within .the head, manually `operable means to cause the relative ladjustment of other symbol-impressing elements Within the head, a closure upon the head, alocking factor associated With the closure and normally preventing unauthorized 'tampering with ythe mechanism Within the head, and locking means engageable with the manually operable means to `prevent unauthorized adjustment vet the symbols controlled thereby.

8. A machine of the class described comprising a stamping head, a'plurality of symbol-impressing elements Which are carried by the head and are movable Sin relation to each other, control members exterior of the head for causing the relative movement of certain of said impressing elements to rany `one ot a plurality of selected positions to vary the relative positionsot the elements, and key operated locking means to prevent unauthorized movement of the control members, said locking means being arranged `to lock the same against unauthorized tampering in any one of a plurality of selected positions corresponding to the relative positioning of the impressing elements.

9. A machine of the class described :com-

prisilng a'. iixed support, a stamping head movable in relation to the support, a plurality of impressing elements carried by said head, a closure up'on 'the `hea-d, means normally locking the closure in place to prevent unauthorized tampering With the elements, tape containers :upon the outside ofthe head, lclosures tor said containers movable independently of said closure upon the .head whereby the tape may be reached and replaced Without necessitating access to the interior of the head.

l0. A machine for successively stamping a series of symbols, comprising a movable housing, a base for supporting the article to be stamped, a series of impressing elements Within the housing, the housing having an opening exposing lan element igor engagement with an article on the base, means normally holding the :housing in operative Y,

position spaced from the base, said housing being movable into juxtaposition to the base, mechanism automatically causing movement of the impressing elements in response to such movement "ot the housing, 'holding means Within the housing normally preventing movement of 'the impressing elements and automatically releasing the elements only when the housin closely approaches the base, a movable closure forming a part of the housing, `locking means Yholding the closure in closed position against unauthorized tampering, the holding means being manually operable to release the elements and to permit 'their selective vmovement When the closure is moved to its open position, whereby unauthorized tampering Wit-h the elements is prevented by the llocked closure and by 'the holding means Which automatically releases the elements only When the opening in the closure is closely adjacent to the base.

y 1l. A stamping machine 'comprising a {ix-'ed support, a movable head lcarried thereby, al plurality of movable Wheels 'enclosed by the head, symbol impressing elements carried by the Wheels, the head having an opening exposing an element to stamp an article upon the iixed support, mechanism for varying the relative positions of the Wheels and elements, -said mechanism vbeing automatically operable in response to movement of the head toward a printing position in juxtaposition tov-the support, )holding means normally engageable with parts carried by lthe Wheels and locking lthe latter against relative movement, said holding means being` automatically disengageable from `said parts only when the head closely approaches the support, a `movable closure forming a part of the Wall of the head, locking means normally -retainin g the closure in its closed position -to 'prevent unauthorized tampering with the .holding means Within the head, the holding means being manually disengagable from the parts carried bythe Wheels to permit manual movement of the symbol impressing elements when access is afforded to the interior of the head by movement of the closure to its open position, whereby unauthorized tampering with the symbol impressing elements is prevented, since the same are held in position by the holding means until the opening in the head is closely juxtaposed to the support or unless authorized access to the interior of the head is permitted by the unlocking of the U looking means and the movement of the closure to open position.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts this 27 th day of September, 1927.

EARL P. SMITH. 

